Nasal inhaler



g- 3, 1939- c. H. FRANCISCO ET AL 2,153,705

NASAL INHALER Filed 001;. 29, 1938 3 Wu VI M 0747/86 15. [farm/L900,

Patented Aug. 8, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE NASAL INHALER Application October 29, 1938, Serial No. 237,708

4 Claims.

This invention relates to inhalers such as are commonly employed for supplying oxygen to "patients for breathing purposes when afflicted with pneumonia and other ailments.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a nasal inhaler of the above kind which is extremely simple and durable in construction, highly efficient in use, and otherwise well adapted to meet with all of the requirements for success ful commercial use.

More particularly, the present invention contemplates the provision of a nasal inhaler of the above kind which may be worn with comfort, which may be readily adjusted to suit the patient, which will not become readily displaced from proper operative position, and which will not interfere with freedom of vision or eating on the part of the patient.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consists in the novel form, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawing, and claimed.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side View showing an inhaler embodying the present invention and illustrating the appearance and position thereof in use.

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the inhaler drawn on an enlarged scale, partly broken away and in section; and

Figure 3 is a rear elevational view of the inhaler shown in Figure 2.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the present inhaler consists of a supporting frame somewhat in the nature of the frame of spectacles and including a pair of spaced upwardly arched strips of resilient metal 5 arranged to occupy a position over the eyes of the patient, and rigidly connected at their inner end portions by means of a vertical plate 8 of any desired shape or ornamental form. Pivoted at 6 to the outer ends of the arched frame members 5 are temples I arranged to extend rearwardly at the sides of the face of the patient and to hook at their rear ends around the patients ears to retain the inhaler in place upon the patient. As the outer end portions of the arched frame members 5 are free, they may readily yield so as to prevent undue pressure of the temples I against the sides of the patients face. The frame plate 8 has curved edge portions 8a coincident with the inner end portions of the arched frame members 5 and to which the latter are secured by soldering or the like. In addition, the plate 8 may have lugs 9 on the curved edges Ba. bent to partially embrace the intermediate portions of the arched frame members 5 to facilitate proper positioning of the members 5 relative to each other and rigid fastening of the same together in such proper relation. At their spaced inner ends, the arched frame members 5 have the usual plates or 5 pads l adapted to engage the nose at opposite sides of the bridge of the latter to maintain the spectacle-like frame against lateral displacement when in use. The inner end portions of the M arched frame members are also connected by a 10 bridge piece II directly above the nose pieces I0 arranged to engage and rest upon the bridge of the nose. In this way, a very simple and inexpensive, yet durable construction is had for supporting the nasal tubes of the inhaler as will be presently described, whereby said nasal tubes will not be moved when the head of the patient moves on a pillow, etc.

The inhaler further includes a Y-fitting I2 I rigidly and permanently secured to the front face of the frame plate 8 intermediate the ends of the latter and in a position so that its inlet I 3 extends upwardly above the plate 8 for connection with the source of oxygen supply, by means of a flexible I tube I4 or the like, and so that the branches or 5 outlets of said fitting depend in downwardly diverging relation at opposite sides of the bridge I I and outwardly of the nose pieces I0. Connected with these branches or outlets of the fitting l2 are nasal tubes I5 which extend downwardly and outwardly and then have their lower end portions curved inwardly and upwardly in position to enter the nostrils of the patient. The terminals I6 of the lower ends of the nasal tubes I5 are of substantially ball-shape to properly fit in the nasal passages, and the tubes l 5 are made of soft metal so as to be readily flexible for adjusting the same to fit the contour of the face and nose of any particular patient. The oxygen may thus be supplied directly to the nasal passages so that no interference is presented to the patient eating freely at any time. The fitting I 2 may be rigidly and permanently secured in place by any suitable means such as soldering and/or by suitable riveted staple-like fasteners I'I embracing spaced portions of the fitting and piercing the plate 8.

In use, the lower ends of the nasal tubes I5 are entered into the nostrils, and the inhaler is then lifted so that the bridge piece II properly rests upon the bridge of the nose. If necessary, the flexible nasal tubes I5 are bent so as to adjust the position and shape of the same to suit the requirements of the patient. The temples I are then engaged over the patients ears, and these temples are also preferably formed of flexible wire or the like to permit bending thereof and consequently secure proper adjustment of the same to suit the patients requirements. Of course, the latter feature is common in spectacles and like articles and is merely mentioned herein as a desirable feature for the present inhaler construction.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the present inhaler is well adapted for successfully carrying out the stated objects of the invention, and minor changes in details of construction illustrated and described are contemplated within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

What we claim as new is:

1. A nasal inhaler comprising a supporting frame in the general form of the frame of spectacles and including upwardly arched end members arranged to occupy a position over the eyes of the patient, a bridge piece connecting said end members and arranged to overlie the bridge of the patients nose, a vertical plate rigidly carried by the inner portions of said end members, an inverted Y-fitting rigidly secured to the front face of said plate to provide an upwardly projecting inlet for oxygen or the like and depending downwardly diverging outlets at opposite sides of said bridge piece, nasal tubes connected to said outlet and depending therefrom, said nasal tubes terminating in inwardly and upwardly directed lower ends arranged to enter the nostrils of the patient, and temples pivoted to the outer ends of said end members and arranged to hook over the patients ears to retain the inhaler in position upon the patient.

2. A nasal inhaler comprising a supporting frame in the general form of the frame of spectacles and including upwardly arched end members arranged to occupy a position over the eyes of the patient, a bridge piece connecting said end members and arranged to overlie the bridge of the patients nose, a vertical plate rigidly carried by the inner portions of said end members, an inverted Y-fitting rigidly secured to the front face of said plate to provide an upwardly projecting inlet for oxygen or the like and depending downwardly diverging outlets at opposite sides of said bridge piece, nasal tubes connected to said outlet and depending therefrom, said nasal tubes terminating in inwardly and upwardly directed lower ends arranged to enter the nostrils of the patient, temples pivoted to the outer ends of said end members and arranged to hook over the patients ears to retain the inhaler in position upon the patient, said end members comprising resilient strips having free outer ends adapted to yield outwardly, and nose pieces carried by the inner ends of said resilient strips and arranged to engage the patients nose at opposite sides of the nose bridge.

3. A nasal inhaler comprising a supporting frame in the general form of a spectacle frame and including a pair of spaced upwardly arched strips of resilient metal arranged to occupy a position over the eyes of the patient, a vertical plate rigidly connecting the inner end portions of said strips, temples pivoted to the outer ends of said strips, an inverted Y-fitting rigidly secured to the front face of said plate to provide an upwardly projecting inlet and downwardly diverging outlets, and .nasal tubes connected with said outlets and depending from the latter in downwardly diverging relation, the lower ends of said nasal tubes being directed inwardly and upwardly in position to enter the patients nostrils.

4. A nasal inhaler comprising a supporting frame in the general form of the frame of spectacles and including upwardly arched end members arranged to occupy a position over the eyes of the patient, a bridge piece connecting said end members and arranged to overlie the bridge of the patients nose, a vertical plate rigidly carried by the inner portions of said end members, an inverted Y-fitting rigidly secured to the front face of said plate to provide an upwardly projecting inlet for oxygen or the like and depending downwardly diverging outlets at opposite sides of said bridge piece, nasal tubes connected to said outlet and depending therefrom, said nasal tubes terminating in inwardly and upwardly directed lower ends arranged to enter the nostrils of the patient, and temples pivoted to the outer ends of said end members and arranged to hook over the patients ears to retain the inhaler in position upon the patient, said nasal tubes being freely flexible to permit ready change in the shape thereof whereby the lower terminals of said nasal tubes may be properly adjusted.

CHARLES HENRY FRANCISCO. WILLIAM FRANCISCO. LEONARD BROWN. 

